The new Minister of Environment Frank Moya Pons says he is enlisting the assistance of the United States to develop a Dominican forestry service based on the successful models of the US and Costa Rica. This service would manage forestry areas and the protected areas. He announced that USAID would help fund the research of the Dominican natural resources in order to assist his department in its modernization plans. He said that USAID will also render a report on the performance of the Ministry at the expected term of his office in four years time. Foreign environmental specialists will also arrive to assist Dominican technicians as efforts are made to stop the devastation of forests and river basins. He said his department will also work on helping Dominicans convert to a more environmental-friendly attitude.
